US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to an “intensive care unit” after another hospital stay for a bladder disease, the Pentagon announced on Sunday evening.
• Also read: “It was a mistake”: Pentagon chief apologizes for keeping hospital stay secret
• Also read: US Secretary of Defense returns to Pentagon after hospitalization
Lloyd Austin, whose several secret hospitalizations for prostate cancer have sparked controversy, had been hospitalized earlier in the day for “an urgent bladder problem” before delegating his duties to his assistant.
“This evening, the Secretary was admitted to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after a series of tests and assessments for supportive care and close monitoring,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
“It is not clear at this time how long Secretary Austin will remain hospitalized,” Dr. Austin’s press release said. John Maddox and Gregory Chesnut.
“The current bladder problem is not expected to impact his expected full recovery. “His cancer prognosis remains excellent,” the doctors added.
As of 5pm (10pm GMT) on Sunday, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks has taken on the role of head of the Pentagon. A few hours earlier, the Pentagon indicated that Mr. Austin “went to the hospital with the classified and unclassified communications systems necessary to carry out his duties.”
The Pentagon assured that the White House and Congress were informed.
During a press conference on February 1, the 70-year-old defense minister apologized for keeping his prostate cancer secret, a case that caused uproar in the country.
Because in the middle of an election year and while the United States, the world's leading military power, is closely following two major conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, the septuagenarian was operated on and hospitalized twice in December and January without President Joe Biden knowing nothing about it.
“It was a mistake,” admitted the minister during this press conference, which he faced with a still stiff demeanor.
“I should have informed the president of my cancer diagnosis. I should have told my team and the American people, and I take full responsibility for that. “I apologize to my colleagues and the American people,” he added.
However, the minister wanted to “state very clearly that there is no free power and that there is no risk to the leadership and control of the ministry.”
He stated that he apologized “directly” to Mr. Biden and that he responded “with grace.”
Astonishment and calls for resignation
The affair caused astonishment even in the Democratic camp and triggered calls among Republicans for Lloyd Austin to resign.
This time, his ministry immediately informed about his renewed hospitalization: the media was informed about two hours after he left for the hospital.
The controversy over his health problems also came at a time when U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have faced regular attacks from Iran-backed militants, according to Washington.
The top U.S. defense official is also a key figure in the Biden administration's efforts to maintain support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, as Republicans in Congress refuse to approve new funding for military aid to Kiev.
Several Republican lawmakers called for his firing, but Mr. Biden, while deploring the Pentagon chief's lack of judgment, said he continued to have confidence in him.
Mr. Austin gained a reputation as a largely apolitical official who was very comfortable dealing with American troops. He has an imposing stature, is very discreet and avoids the limelight, which he believes played a role in his decision to keep his cancer diagnosis a secret.